Wine News

Wine drinkers confused by alcohol levels

11 July 2007

Alcohol levels are a source of confusion when consumers are trying to decide what wine to drink. While research by Wine Intelligence found that 46 per cent of consumers think lower-alcohol wines are better for their health, and just over 30 per cent believe that they are more fashionable, at the same time 20 per cent of wine drinkers think lower-alcohol wines aren’t such good quality.

It seems that consumers can’t even agree whether lower- or higher-alcohol wines taste better, as the research found that 15 per cent don’t think lower-alcohol wines taste nice, while 10 per cent weren’t impressed by the taste of higher-alcohol ones.

Wine Intelligence director Brian Howard isn’t surprised by the findings. He told ThirtyFifty, ‘There’s no clear understanding by consumers of what is fact and what is fiction. Consumers in the wine category aren’t well-informed through no fault of their own. It’s a confusing category with wines from so many different countries and different companies. Some people think lower alcohol wines taste worse, some think higher alcohol wines taste worse and some that more alcohol equals better quality. There is just no clear, consistent view.’